Dear friend,
This is where I usually share new products or cute baby pictures.
Today is different.
Today, I’m here to reassure you that there is still beauty in the world, and that we can still have a positive future together.
❦
I’m having a lot of big feelings about the election results. Maybe you are, too.
It’s exhausting.
I can’t think straight. I stop talking mid-sentence. I forget to breathe.
My body is forcing me to pause.
These pauses are brief and not as contemplative as I’d like (I’ve still got three young kids running around, after all!), but in these moments I’ve come up with a plan, a way to support my family’s health and well-being.
❦
I’m shifting my focus closer to home — to my home state, my county, my small town.
Here’s why:
National races get all the news coverage. That’s understandable because the national races affect all of us, as a country, together.
But national races also trigger the most anxiety, sadness, and despair — because we have the least direct impact on them. My one vote is important, but it’s recorded alongside millions of others.
Closer to home, there are state races and local ones. These get less media coverage, but my direct impact on each is much greater. My new city councilors won by hundreds of votes, not millions.
Locally, my vote counts for more, but also: I live here. I have family and friends here. I am part of this community.
These relationships are critical for my own emotional well-being, as well as for my kids, and for our feeling of autonomy, as a family.
The stronger our social bonds, the more autonomy we feel. Without those social connections, we can feel isolated and powerless.
❦
So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed about the state of the world, I hope you’ll try shifting your focus closer to home.
The most important thing you can be doing right now — and always — is taking care of yourself and your family.
For me, that means taking a break from news and unplugging from social media. I’m prioritizing connecting in real life.
That’s not because I’m a better, more virtuous person. It’s purely selfish: connection is the antidote to despair.
Sleep well,
Nora
